Corset-shield.



M. V. BUGG.

CORSET SHIELD.

APPLIOATION.IILED MAB. 7, 1910.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

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MARY V. BUG, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

CORSET-SHIELD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 7, 1910.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911. Serial No. 547,827.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, MARY V. Boos, a citizen of the United States, and resident of loboken, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have made anew and useful Invention in Corset-Shields, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention is directed particularly to a corset shield designed to be used around the top portion of the corset and in such a way as to be attached thereto in any preferred manner, and it has for its objectsfirst, to protect the body of the wearer from any uncomfortable effects due to whale-bones or steels; second, to protect the underwear of the user from undue frictional wear; third, to protect the corset and the outer clothing from undue frictional wear and also from damage due to perspiration.

My invention consists in providing a water-proof shield of one or more thicknesses of relatively flexible material adapted to be so folded over the top of a corset, at points beneath the arm of the wearer, that the before-mentioned objects shall be effected. To

the inner surface of this shield is secured, at its opposite ends only, a strong broad strip of fabric which gives an increased strengthening and protecting effect, thus giving to the shield the proper flexibility for adapting it to fit with comfort over the top edges of any well known form of corset.

The invention will be fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan View of my improvement with the inner rubber or Water-proof coating broken away at one end for the purpose of illustrating the structural nature of the shield. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a corset illustrating the manner of applying my improved shield thereto for use beneath the arms of the wearer.

Referring nowto the drawings in detail and first to Fig. 1, A represents the body part of the shield, made preferably of dia mond shape and of some light strong fabric of single thickness which is either waterproofed in any well known way, or coated interiorly with a thin facing of rubber R and provided around its outer edge with a binding 13, C being an additional broad strip of strong fabric, such as linen cloth secured directly to the inner surface of the shield by stitching at its opposite ends only, as shown,

its function being, when in position, to take the wear at the top of the corset when the shield is attached thereto either by stitches at the opposite corners, hooks and eyes, or in any preferred manner. This additional strip constitutes a reinforcing medium and is of sufficient width to lap over the inner and outer surfaces of the top of the corset D when in position for use, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, said strip being located in the line of one of the diagonal axes of the shield when made in diamond shape form, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

' have ascertained that such a shield affords great comfort to the wearer of corsets where the whale-bones or steels are liable to come into frictional contact with the person beneath the arms, there being provided two of these shields, one at each side of the corset and at the top under the arms when in use, said shields being actual duplicates of each other.

I am aware that a corset shield has heretofore been devised which is so constructed that it has a definite or fixed shape or conformation adapting the same only for use in pairs; that is to say, a right and left shield, one under each arm of the wearer, the same being made of relatively rigid material which by reason of its rigidity is held in position frictionally at the top of the corset, and I make no claim hereinafter broad enough to include such a shield, my invention being limited specifically to a flexible water-proof shield designed to be folded upon itself in such manner as to adapt it for use by the wearer at any part whatever of the top portion of the corset; that is to say, under either or both arms; or, on the front or back thereof, the arrangement being such that the opposite corners of the folded shield may be secured to the corset proper in any preferred manner, as hereinbefore stated.

My corset shield also possesses a further important feature of utility, in that the strengthening strip C being attached to the shield proper only at its opposite ends by stitches, there is given to the entire structure a flexibility which would not be ef fected were such strengthening strip stitched longitudinally to the body of the shield. This feature of stitching the strip at its ends only is further meritorious in that there is no possibility of moisture penetrating through the shield at any part thereof, as would be the case were it stitched thereto throughout the length.

My improvement possesses a further feature of advantage over corset shields like that hereinbefore disclaimed, in that by reason of its extreme flexibility it may be readily washed or cleansed at any time and is capable of being packed away for shipment in very small space.

I am aware that arm-pit shields have heretofore been devised by difierent inventors, one of which is constructed of a thin sheet of a seamless piece of rubber cloth and the other of which embraces two thicknesses of cloth sewed together at their junction and provided on their inner surfaces with a narrow strip or gusset of cloth for the purpose of preventing leakage of perspiration through the shield, and I make no claim hereinafter to any structural device of the nature of either of the before-mentioned shields, both of which are curvilinear in form for the purpose of adapting them to fit beneath the arms of the wearer and for protecting the clothing of the wearer thereof from damage due solely to perspiration, my invention being directed distinctly to a corset shield which has such a conformation as to adapt it to be fitted over the top of a corset and is provided with a strengthening strip which shall be of such thickness and width as Will prevent the corset steels or bones from either wearing or cutting the clothing of the user or from chafing.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is p 1. A corset shield constructed of flexible water-proof material strengthening strip also of flexible material having sufficient width to overlap the top of the corset when in use, said strip being secured to the body part of the shield at its opposite ends only, substantially as described.

2. A diamond shaped corset shield constructed of flexible water-proof material of single thickness and provided with a single flexible strengthening strip located in the direction of one of the diagonal axes thereof and secured thereto at its opposite ends only; said strip being of suflicient width, when the shield is folded in the direction of said diagonal axis, to co er the top portion of the corset and overlap thev upper end thereof in such manner as to prevent the bones or steels from damaging the 'garments of the wearer, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARY V. BUGG.

Witnesses SAMUEL SELDow, C. J. KINTNER.

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